Migration
  • The war triggered one of the greatest mass migrations of American history.
  • Millions of servicemen, women, and civilians were sent to places all over the world.external image migration.gif
  • People who lived in one place for decades suddenly uprooted themselves to seek war work elsewhere.
  • Many states experienced large population gain, such as Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Pacific Coast states,Michigan, and Florida
  • Towns with defense industries saw their populations double and even triple, sometimes almost overnight.
  • Many farming states, increased in population due to ammunition plants being built.
  • Major cities also increased in population too.
  • The result of such population booms was an acute housing shortages. Even though some workers had money for rent, many were homeless.
  • People camped out in old cars, tents, trailer parks, rented garages, and over crowded rooms
  • Food Rationing,which was a restriction of people's right to buy unlimited amounts of particular foods and other goods during wartime, to assure adequate supplies for the military. Also War bonds and stamps were sold to provide war funds.
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Social Adjustments
  • As best as they could, families adjusted to the social changes brought on by war.
  • Mothers in particular struggled to take care of their children, with millions of fathers in war.
  • Young children were left at neighbors or with relatives, or sometimes at child care centers, while their mothers went to work to support them. Also the teenagers were left at home alone.
  • When some fathers came back from war, there was often a period of readjustment as families got to know one another again.
  • The war also triggered a huge marriage boom. In love couples or sweethearts who barely knew each other, rushed to marry before the soldier or sailor was shipped overseas. In effect, many of these relationships didn't survive the long separation, and tremendously the divorce rate increased in the United States
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GI Bill of Rights(1944)- was passed to help ease the transition of returning servicemen to civilian life. It provided education and training for veterans, paid for by the federal government.